Method for removing a casing from a food stuffed in the casing, and an apparatus therefor

Abstract

A method and apparatus for removing a tubular casing made of a flexible sheet from a food stuffed in the casing are disclosed. The casing is sealed at an opening portion thereof with a sealing means. The method includes stripping one end portion of the casing from a food body, and holding the casing stripped in the preceding step by a pulling means. The method includes pulling the stripped casing outwardly by the pulling means, while the pulling means and the food body are allowed to move relative to each other with respect to a lengthwise direction and a circumferential direction of the food body. The casing is peeled spirally from the food body.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for removing a casing from a food body which has a trailing end portion and a leading end portion, comprising: a pair of food rotating rollers provided in a parallel relationship with respect to one another for rotating the food body;   a food carrying plate provided along said rollers for pushing the food body from the trailing end portion along said rollers;   a first clamp provided along said rollers for grasping the leading end portion of the food body; and   a pulling mechanism provided along said rollers for pulling spirally the casing from the food body.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting mechanism provided along said rollers for cutting the casing at the leading end portion of the food body when the leading end portion is grasped by said first clamp. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a base plate, and wherein said base plate supports said cutting mechanism. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said cutting mechanism includes a pair of bushings secured to said base plate, a pair of expandable rods slidably supported by said bushings, an air cylinder disposed under said base plate and connected to said expandable rods, a frame secured to said expandable rods, a pair of sliding rods slidably supported by said frame, an intermediate plate secured to said sliding rods, an air cylinder secured to said frame and connected to said intermediate plate, a pair of supporting rods slidably supported by said intermediate plate, a cutter holding member supported by said supporting rods, a pair of springs fitted around said supporting rods between said intermediate plate and said cutter holding member, and a cutter provided on said cutter holding member. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a swing arm pivotally supported by said base plate, and wherein said swing arm supports said first clamp. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a second clamp supported by said swing arm above said first clamp. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said rollers and said food carrying plate are operable to stop moving when the food body is adjacent to said first clamp, and wherein said cutting mechanism is operable to cut the casing near the leading end portion of the food body when the leading end portion of the food body is grasped by said first clamp. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second clamp provided above said first clamp for positioning the casing onto said pulling mechanism. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second clamp includes a pair of side plates, a pair of guide rods provided between said side plates, a pair of intermediate rods slidably supported by said guide rods, a pair of clamp portions supported by said intermediate rods, a first air cylinder secured to one of said side plates and connected to one of said intermediate rods, and a second air cylinder secured to the other of said side plates and connected to the other of said intermediate rods. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising an air motor having a shaft connected to said side plates for swinging said second clamp. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a food receiving portion where the food body is loaded and a food take-out portion where the food body is unloaded after the casing is removed, wherein said food receiving portion has said rollers extending therethrough, and said food take out portion has a second pair of food rotating rollers provided in a parallel relationship with respect to one another within said food take-out portion. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a trough provided above said rollers along said transfer path, wherein said trough includes openings through which said rollers partially project. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an end detection mechanism provided along said rollers for detecting the leading end portion of the food body. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said end detection mechanism includes a shaft, a pair detecting rods mounted on opposite ends of said shaft, an operating rod mounted on said shaft, and a proximity switch provided under said shaft to sense movement of said operating rod. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said end detection mechanism includes air motor coupled to said shaft for pivoting said detecting rods. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of food rotating shafts, a motor coupled to said shafts, and wherein said rollers are provide on said shafts. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a support rod connected to said food carrying plate, a rail arranged in a parallel relationship with respect to said rollers, a moveable member supported by said rail, and a motor coupled to said moveable member for moving said moveable member. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first clamp includes a pair of clamping portions which contact the leading end portion of the food body when said first clamp grasps the leading end portion of the food body. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said first clamp includes a pair of side plates, a pair of guiding rods provided between said side plates, wherein said guiding rods extend through said clamping portions, a first air cylinder secured to one of said side plates and connected to one of said clamping portions, and a second air cylinder secured to the other of said side plates and connected to the other of said clamping portions. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said first clamp includes two sliding rods provided between said side plates and a swinging arm supported by said side plates. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pulling mechanism includes a rack, a lower carrying roller rotatably supported by said rack and an upper carrying roller pivotally supported on said rack above said lower carrying roller. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said rollers and said pulling mechanism are operable to stop moving when the casing is pulled near the trailing end portion of the food body while said food carrying plate continues to push the food body such that the casing at the trailing end portion of the food body is pulled from the food body.